The Ace of Hearts
by sweetsouthernbell
Summary: Sydney and Vaughn play a card game to pass the time on a plane trip.
1. Round 1

**Title:** The Ace of Hearts  
**Author**: Melanie(that would be me)or sweetsouthernbell07 (Vaughn'n'Syd4eva on Sd-1)  
**Rating:** PG-PG-13...somewhere in there  
**Summary**: Sydney and Vaughn play a card game to pass the time on a plan trip.  
**A/N**: Okay so this is set during _The Prophecy_...and yeah, I know that Syd and Vaughn said that they would have to fly to Vatican City in seperate planes but for the point of this story, I changed it. It's all about the S/V fluff anyway, right? This was originally an entry to the FFWF fanfic challage, so yeah...

Enjoy!

* * *

She looked up, shook her head, and dropped it again, trying to read the page in front of her. No such luck.

On normal missions, she would have things to do. But not this mission. This one didn't entail learning the schematics of a building or trying to figure out one of Marshall's latest creations or keeping up an alias on the plane. In fact, now she had very little to do. She knew the blueprints of the Vatican. She knew exactly what to do with the equipment. And on the small private CIA plane with only Vaughn and the pilot to keep her company, there wasn't any alias to keep up.

In short, Sydney Bristow was bored.

Finally fed up with the whole situation, she slammed the book closed and with an overly exaggerated sigh, she said, "Fine, we'll play your game."

A smile passed through Vaughn's eyes as he reached for the deck of cards in his briefcase, a novelty that could be blamed on Weiss for even being there.

Sydney watched as he split the deck in half, after shuffling it, and handed her one of the halves. A small smile played on her lips. "So, how do you play this game?"

"Well…" He started, "It's a combination of a whole bunch of games." She nodded, silently telling him to continue. "Okay, so number cards, two through five are truth or dare cards. For instance, if you draw a three, you ask truth or dare and so on."

She nodded, "Okay."

"Number cards six through ten are shot cards. You draw a seven, the other person has to take a shot."

"There's one problem with that." She paused, and he looked at her, "How are we going to take shots without any liquor?"

He laughed lightly, and reached over to his briefcase again, and extracted two shot glasses and a bottle of tequila. At her confused expression, he explained, "Weiss put them in there. I didn't realize it until after we took off."

"Did Weiss think that you and I would be drinking on this flight?" She asked, lightly, the realizing something, she added in a darker tone, "Weiss knows about the mission?"

"He knows but he's trustworthy. Man keeps secrets like no other. He won't tell anyone."

"Good to know."

A smirk touched his lips briefly before he continued explaining the game. "Face cards are money cards. You draw a face card, the other has to give you money. Jacks are five, Queens are ten, and Kings are twenty."

"That's smart," She commented, "What about aces?"

Now he was flushed a slight red color. _The Michael Vaughn is nervous and blushing_, she thought wryly.

"Well…the ace of diamonds, spades, and clubs are stripping cards. If you draw one, the other person has to strip an article of clothing."

Now she understood why he was embarrassed. Who wouldn't be? "What about the ace of hearts?"

"The kiss card." He answered. "You get to kiss whoever you want and they can't argue."

"Hence why it's the ace of hearts, it might be your only chance to kiss a person you have a crush on." She reasoned.

"Yes, exactly."

"How bored where you when you made up this game?" She asked the question, lightly and without judgment.

"Not bored," He explained, "But very **_very_** drunk. It was a college thing." He shrugged.

"Okay, let's play." She reached for her half of the deck that she had placed on the table between them, picked off the top card, and set it down face up. "Four." She paused in her sentence, and looked at him, "Truth or Dare, Vaughn?"

"Truth."

"Chicken," She teased, eliciting another smile from him. "What's you favorite childhood memory?"

"Lame question," He teased back, this time eliciting a smile from her. "I used to spend my summers in France and down the street from my mother's family's home; there was this ice cream shop. They had the best ice cream in the world." He paused before adding, "We should go sometime." She smiled. "Anyway, my dad used to take me there every day we were in France."

"That's sweet," She commented.

Nodding, he reached for his half of the deck and picked off the top card. "Seven, take a shot, Syd."

Making a face, she picked up the shot glass he set on the table and threw back the tequila quickly, wishing there was some salt and lime. Then she plucked a card off her half, "Queen. Ten bucks, Vaughn."

He shook his head and pulled out his wallet. "I always hate this part of the game." His hand extracted a ten dollar bill and tossed it over to her.

"Really? Cause I love it." She smirked.

He reached for a card, "Two. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

He rested his head in his hand, trying to think of a question. "How fast can you disarm the alarm?"

She rolled her eyes, "Business freak." He smiled. "Under twenty seconds. Would you relax already?"

"I can try."

"Good, now…ten. You're turn for a shot."

He made the same face she did when she had to take a shot and threw it back easily, silently mirroring her same wish for salt and a lime. "I hate this part, too."

She laughed. "Okay, so…four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Do you ever pick dare?" He teased.

"Sometimes."

"Okay, what's your favorite fairy tale?"

"Alice in Wonderland," She said, immediately.

"You know, the guy who wrote that was tripping on acid."

Her head tilted to the side, "What?"

"Little known fact."

Smiling, she added, "Anyway, my mom used to read that to me every night." They shared a silent understanding about the loss of a parent for a moment before she picked off another card. "Ace of spades. Strip it, big boy."

A smirk passed by on his lips and he reached down and took of his shoe. "There."

"You chicken," She said, feigning disappointment.

"I know." Another card. "Jack, hand me five dollars."

She took the ten he gave her earlier, ripped it in half and threw him one of the halves. "There."

"This is half of a ten."

"And half of ten is five." She pointed out.

"You're evil."

"I know," She reached for another card. "Six. Another shot."

He threw back the shot, grimacing, "I told you that I hate this part of this game, right?" She nodded. "Okay…eight. Ha ha! A shot for Miss Bristow."

She threw him a glare before throwing back the shot. "I hate this part too." He laughed. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"You chicken," She teased, "So, what's your favorite fairy tale?"

"Cinderella." At her raised eyebrow, he explained. "It's French. My mother used to read it to my sister all the time. It stuck."

"Okay, not so weird anymore." They shared a laugh. "King…twenty big ones."

"I really hate this part." He said, pulling a twenty out of his wallet and tossing it to her. "So…three. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Adventurous today?" He teased and she shrugged. "Okay, when we get back to L.A., I dare you to walk down the cat food aisle of a pet store, singing 'Ice Ice baby' as loud as you can."

"You strange little man," She shook her head and then nodded. "And fine." He smiled and she picked another card. "Six."

"Damnit," He swore before taking the shot. "Third one." He shook his head in disbelief. "Ace of diamonds."

Mischievously, she unzipped her sweater, revealing a white t-shirt and slipped it off slowly, then tossed it to the side, causing him to swallow hard. "Two. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"You're so chicken!" She half yelled. "What's your favorite season and why?"

"Fall because summers in L.A. are hot. So fall's a nice break from the heat." He shook his head, slightly, "So…nine. Shot time."

She grimaced and threw back the shot quickly, "I definitely hate this part." He laughed. "Jack."

"Here," He tossed the half of a ten back to her, "Your five back."

She laughed, "Good, my half was getting lonely." She put the two halves off to the side and reached for another card, "Ace of clubs. You know the deal."

It was his turn to her a mischievous look, as he pulled off the sweater he wore, over his head, revealing a black t-shirt. She swallowed hard. _'It's just Vaughn. Just Vaughn. A very sexy Vaughn!'_

"Five. Truth or dare, Syd?"

"Truth."

"What do you really think of the prophecy?"

She lowered her head, momentarily and just as he was going to apologize and ask another question, she said quietly, "I hope he's wrong." She didn't offer more and he didn't ask. Shaking off the dark mood, she reached for another card, "King."

"Here," He tossed her another twenty. "Ten, shot time again."

She laughed and took the shot easily, in a weak effort to forget what they were talking about. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Instead of commenting that he was chicken, she asked, "Why do you want to help me?"

"Because I believe that there is no way you could ever be this person that Rambaldi's talking about."

She half smiled, "Thanks."

"You don't need to thank me." He assured. "Jack." She threw him one of the halves of the ripped ten and he laughed. "I knew you were going to do that."

"Agent Bristow? Agent Vaughn?" Both Sydney and Vaughn stopped in their game and looked up to see the pilot standing in the cabin with them. "We've landed."

"Thank you," Sydney said quietly and the pilot nodded, then returned to the cockpit. She turned to Vaughn and smiled, "That was fun."

"Yeah, it was." He agreed. Then, he stood up, grabbed the two shot glasses and the tequila bottle and tossed those into his briefcase. After that, he picked up his half of the ten, put it in his wallet and put his wallet away. Then he put his shoe back on, picked up his sweater but didn't put it back on, gathered the rest of his stuff and without a word spoken between them, stepped off the plane through the door the pilot had opened without either of them noticing. Before he left, he smiled at her briefly.

Smiling and curiosity getting the better of her, she picked up the next card off her half of the deck. "The ace of hearts," She mused, smiling wider. She stood up, gathered her things as well, including her half of the ten, and glanced at the card.

"Maybe someday."

* * *

And before I lead you all on to think that there might notbe a new chapter, I will tell you here and now that I am planning more for this story and I will have it up by Christmas. Okay? Sound good? Now please review and tell me what you think!


	2. Round 2

Yay! New chapter!! Whoo-hoo!!

Okay...so I decided to make this like a four or five part thing. In this round, Sydney and Vaughn are returning from Madagascar and dealing with that whole fiasco in the episode: _Dead Drop_. Yeah, I skipped the return flight for the Vatican and went to the second season. I'm trying to keep this in line with the seasons and not branch off into AU territory...at least not yet...::grins evilly::

Quick review of the game's rules:  
**Number cards 2-5**: Truth or dare?  
**Number cards 6-10**: shot cards  
**Face cards (king, queen, jack)**: money (king-20, queen-10, jack-5)  
**Aces of diamonds, spades, and clubs**: the stripping cards  
**Ace of hearts**: the kissing card

* * *

He watched for a moment, before sighing and shaking his head. The slight movement caught her attention and her eyes narrowed immediately.

"What?" She asked, curtly.

He sighed again. "Syd…"

Sydney shook her head and went back to staring out the window. "I don't want to talk about it, Vaughn." She whispered.

Vaughn understood and didn't push the matter anymore. Instead, he reached into the bag he brought on missions and pulled out a deck of cards, a half empty bottle of tequila, two shot glasses and his wallet. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, her lips twitching into a smile. "Wanna play?" He asked, holding up the deck.

Sydney turned to face him, the smile growing. "I'm not sure if I remember how to play."

Vaughn smiled at her and shook his head. "Of course you do. You have a better memory than anybody I know."

"Marshall has a photographic memory," She pointed out.

He grinned. "I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Marshall yet, so the title goes to you." He set half of the deck in front of her and leaned back in his chair, shuffling his half idly. "And so does first draw."

She grabbed the half a card deck, shuffling it as well but shook her head. "No, I went first last time, so you go."

He decided not to fight her and take her speaking as a victory, even if it was a small one. After setting his half on the table, he picked off the top card. "Seven. Your shot, madam."

Sydney laughed after throwing back the shot quickly. "God, I needed that."

Vaughn laughed. "And we take the alcohol out of the game." He was teasing her and she let it slide.

"Three." She said, turning over a card. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

After studying him for a moment, she asked. "Tell me about your favorite childhood memory."

He laughed. "You already asked me that."

"Yes," She started, slowly. "But you can't have only one favorite childhood memory."

Vaughn, again, decided not to fight her on it, especially not after what had happened in Madagascar. "Well…when I was twelve, my hockey team won this really important tournament."

She scoffed. "That's it?"

"Well, sorry that my childhood victory in your mind sucked." He retorted, sounding serious but the grin on his face giving away the sarcasm.

She smiled. "I never said that."

"But you implied it." He countered.

"Whatever…just go." She said with a dismissive wave towards his cards.

He complied with the order. "Jack."

She grimaced while taking out her purse and digging around in it for a moment. Her hand touched something and she grinned with a hint of evilness. He watched her with narrowed eyes as she slowly pulled her hand out of her purse and then with a lightning quick motion, threw a half of a ten dollar bill at him. He caught the half a bill and stared at it disbelieving. She still had it? He still had his but that wasn't the point.

She smirked at him and turned over another card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

She raised an eyebrow. "You just said dare."

"I know." He replied, calmly.

She stared at him for a moment before shrugging it off and saying, "I dare you to…" She trailed off, trying to think of a good dare. Her face lit up several minutes later and the evil grin came back. "When this plane lands, you have to walk off it and into the Ops Center wearing nothing but that Speedo wardrobe gave me in case we had to do some swimming while in Madagascar."

Vaughn stared at her, dumbfounded. "What was that?" She opened her mouth to repeat it but he waved her silent. "No, I heard you. It's just…a little weird."

Sydney watched him, the corners of her eyes crinkling in amusement. "You can call 'chicken' you know."

He sighed a huge breath of relief. "Thank God. Chicken!" She laughed. He laughed with her and turned over a card. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's your favorite childhood memory?" He asked.

She laughed. "Um…probably the last time I had dinner with my dad. We went to this Chinese or Japanese, I don't know, some kind of Asian restaurant." She sighed, half in happiness, half in remorse. "I think that's the only time me and him had an honest conversation." She frowned and shook her head before correcting herself. "Well, as honest as he was back then."

Vaughn nodded. "That sounds like it was really great."

Sydney nodded, sadly. "It was." She shook off the memory and reached for her half of the deck. "Ten. Your shot, Monsieur," She teased as he poured the shot and downed it quickly.

Vaughn smiled at her tease turning over a card and his smile turned to a grin. "The Ace of spades."

Sydney smiled slowly, and reached for the sleeve of her sweater. After a couple awkward moments when she got momentarily stuck in her the confines of her sweater, she pulled the article of white cashmere off and tossed it onto the seat next to her. She watched his reaction at her sitting there in a white camisole with a smirk before turning over a card and saying. "Two. Truth or dare?"

The simple statement cause Vaughn to jump and he reddened a little at the realization that she probably noticed his staring. "Truth."

"No dare?" She asked, teasing.

He shook his head rapidly. "No dare."

She laughed softly. "What book are you reading?"

He stared at her, eyebrow raised. "What kind of question is that?"

She shrugged. "I'm just curious."

He stared at her, studying her blank expression before saying slowly, "War and Peace." She grinned and laughed softly, prompting him to ask. "What?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing. Forget it."

Vaughn studied her before shrugging and reaching for a card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What was so funny about me reading War and Peace?"

She laughed harder. "It's not really funny." She explained. "I'm reading the same thing too, and I thought it was humorous that we were reading the same book."

This time Vaughn laughed. "Now I feel less self conscious."

Sydney laughter died after a little while and she reached for a card. "King. That would be twenty dollars."

Vaughn frowned, mentally wondering why he always seemed to lose money to her. He pulled a twenty out of his wallet and tossed it to her and she grabbed it like a five year reaching for ice cream. He chuckled at her greedy fingers.

She stuck her tongue out at him, completely this childishness and tucked the twenty away. "Sydney's getting a new pair of shoes when we get back to L.A."

He frowned slightly. "With twenty dollars?"

She stuck her tongue out at him again. "I never said designer shoes." She retorted.

He laughed and turned over a card. "Six. A shot for Miss Bristow."

She threw back the shot and shook her head, wistfully. "You and your drunken college days," She said ruefully, turning over another card. "Eight. A shot for Mr. Vaughn."

He glared at her momentarily over his shot glass before throwing it back. "Me and my drunken college days," He said, shaking his head at the glass. She laughed as he turned over a card. "Two. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's your favorite kind of ice cream?" He asked after a moment.

She stared at him, curiously. "What does that have to do with anything?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just curious."

She stared at him before saying softly. "Coffee."

"Coffee?" He repeated and she nodded to confirm it. He made the mental note and gestured at her deck. "It's your turn."

She was still staring at him, trying to read his face for clues as to why he asked her that. When she got none, she sighed resignedly and reached for a card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's your favorite kind of ice cream?" She asked, smirking.

"I don't really have one." He answered.

"Oh come on," She prodded. "There has to be one that you like better than the others."

"Alright, I'm rather fond of chocolate chip cookie dough." He answered.

She smiled. "Rather fond of?" She questioned before breaking into giggles.

He mocked glared at her. "I'm so glad that I amuse you." He said, sarcastically before reaching for another card. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Aren't you ever going to pick dare?" He asked with a hint of a whine to it.

She laughed and shook her head. "No way. Not after that look you gave me after the Speedo incident."

"It's the Speedo incident now?" He asked.

"Yep, and there went your Truth." She stuck her tongue out at him again.

It took him a minute to realize what she meant by that. He asked her a question after she said 'truth', that meant, technically he had asked her a question and technically, he couldn't ask her another one. Actually, he had asked her two questions. Damn. "Cheater."

She made a noise like she cared that he just called her cheater before grinning to herself and turning over a card. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"I'm assuming the lack of dare is because of the Speedo incident?" She asked.

"You would be correct and you just lost your truth." He replied.

"Damn," She muttered, realizing that she had fallen into the trap she had originally laid for him.

He laughed at her and reached for a card. "Queen. You know the deal."

She glared at him for a moment before she got an idea and pulled out the twenty he had given her earlier. She ripped it in half and threw him one of the halves.

He picked up the half and stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "What is it with you and ripping up money?"

She shrugged. "It's one of my many fetishes."

"Many?" He repeated, his eyebrow going further towards his hairline.

She shrugged again. "A truth or dare question." She said, simply before turning over a card again. "Jack. I believe that is five dollars."

He looked at her for a minute before reaching for his wallet. He fumbled with it for a couple seconds before pulling out a ripped in half ten. It was his half of the ten she had ripped a couple months ago the first time they played the game. He tossed her the half and she watched it dumbly. She had given him her half earlier in this round of the game, but she hadn't expected him to have his as well. And the fact that he did said a lot to her.

Vaughn watched Sydney's reaction, smiling to himself, before reaching for another card. "King. What is that? Twenty dollars I believe?"

Sydney grumbled something unintelligible and dug in her purse for a moment before pulling out a twenty and throwing it at him. "There." She said curtly, and reaching for her own card. "Two. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"How long have you been a Kings fan?" It wasn't the best question she could come up, but it was one that she had wanted to ask for a very long time. Ever since they almost went to the hockey game together the year before, she had wanted to know.

"Since I was six. My dad took me to one of their games and it all just spiraled downwards from there." He replied.

She laughed. "You had a very hockey oriented childhood."

He shrugged and picked up a card. "Six."

Before he could make a snide remark about her having to take another shot, Sydney reached across the table, poured her own shot and threw it back. He raised an eyebrow at her and she smirked. "I was getting tired of the remarks." She reached for a card. "Seven."

Vaughn repeated her move and poured and threw back his shot before she could get out a remark. She laughed and shook her head wearily as he went for another card. "Eight."

"Damnit," She swore as he poured her the shot and handed it to her, chuckling. She gave him a venomous look and threw back the shot quickly. "That is officially my most hated part of this game." She muttered, reaching for a card. "Ace of clubs." This brought a smile to her face.

He gave her a look, slightly confused at her smile before pulling off his shirt, revealing the white undershirt he wore. She stared dumbly, unable to do much else. He cleared his throat after turning over a card and she jumped. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Truth." She muttered, turning red.

He ignored her reddening face and asked. "What's your favorite hockey team?"

"Who says that I even like hockey?"

"Then make one up."

She laughed. "Well, the Toronto Maple Leafs are my dad's favorite…" He made a mental note to use that sometime if he ever needed to get on Jack Bristow's good side. "…and I don't really have a favorite team, so… the Sharks."

He frowned. "Not the Kings?"

She smiled and shook her head. "That would be copying."

"You can copy me you know." He said, realizing that they sounded like a bickering teenage couple. The couple thing he could go for, not so much with the bickering and teenage though.

She laughed and shook head again. "No…I think I'll stick with the Sharks."

"Traitor," He mumbled, sarcastically.

She laughed again and turned over a card. "Jack."

He threw her an actual five and not a ripped half of a ten. "There."

"Oh," She squealed. "Real money. Earrings for Sydney when we get back to L.A." He opened his mouth to say something but she said quickly, "And yes, with five dollars."

He laughed at her while picking up a card. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

He eyed her carefully before saying, "Do you want to talk about Madagascar?"

She fell silent and looked at her hands. Just as he was going to change his mind and ask a different question, she looked up and said, "No, not really. There's nothing to say. My mother betrayed me just like my dad said she would." He got a withdrawn look on his face that she noted as she sighed and turned over a card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Do you think my mom betrayed like my dad said she would?"

"What would make you ask that?" He questioned, confused.

"You got that look on your face when I answered your question and I want to know what it's about." She shot back.

He was tempted to pick a fight with her but didn't. Instead, he sighed and dragged his hand down his face slowly. "I'm not entirely sure, Syd. That's all. I'm not calling your dad a liar and I'm not deeming you mother a saint."

Sydney gave him a look before sighing and waving her hand dismissively. "It's your turn."

Vaughn looked at her, saddened, before turning over a card. "Queen." Sydney snorted and threw him a ten. "Oh! Real money!" He exclaimed, teasing her. "Vaughn's getting a new Kings pen when we get back to L.A."

His joke had the desired affect and she laughed. "Okay…nine. That means a shot."

He gave her an exasperated look before throwing back the shot. "I'm running the risk of copying you, but that is officially my most hated part of this game." She laughed again as he reached for a card. "Ace of diamonds."

"Not again," She whined, reaching down and taking off her shoe.

He laughed at her repeat of his original stripping of clothing when they first played the game. "Only your shoe?"

"For today," She replied, mischievously. He didn't have the time to contemplate her statement as she turned over a card. "Nine. Another shot."

He frowned at his bad luck but accepted it anyway. "Yep, definitely the worst part of the game." He said just as the plane stopped. Both Sydney and Vaughn looked out the window, shocked that they didn't realize that they had landed because they were so engrossed in the game.

Sydney's cell phone started to ring, literally a second after they stopped. She sent Vaughn an apologetic glance and answered the phone. "Sydney…hi Dad…yeah, we just landed…right now?...I guess…yeah, he's here….uh huh….I will…I love you, Dad…bye." She hung up and looked at him. "I have to go. Kendall wants a full account now."

"Do I have to go in too?" He asked, wearily.

"Dad said that Kendall will talk to you tomorrow." She replied, standing up. "I'll talk to you later?"

"You can count on it." He replied, instantly. She smiled at him, gathered her things -including the half of a ten and the half of a twenty-, struggled with her shirt for a moment, trying to put it back on, slipped her shoe back on and hurried from the plane.

Vaughn sighed and started to pack up his own slew of things, the ripped money, the shot glasses and liquor, his wallet, and finally he turned his attention to the cards. Curious, he picked up his next card and set it down slowly, face up.

He laughed shortly, silently cursing the bad luck of the plane. "The Ace of hearts…" He said, slowly shaking his head. He put away the cards and stood up with his bag. Quietly, he added, "Someday."


	3. Round 3

Alrighties...new chapter. Rejoice!

Set during _Firebomb_ this time around. This is my favorite chapter so far. The ending's a bit clichéd but whatever.

For rules of the game, see Chapter Two.

Oh and this chapter is a bit -using the words 'a bit' very lightly- sexually oriented. I think I'm repressed or something. It doesn't go above PG-13 but just a warning.

* * *

She sighed happily and relaxed in her chair as she took another spoonful of ice cream and licked it off the spoon. They sat across from each other, each with a half gallon of Ben and Jerry's in their lap –Sydney with coffee, Vaughn with chocolate chip cookie dough- and their feet propped up on the same chair the other occupied. It had been Vaughn's doing first and Sydney just copied it.

He looked at her. "You seem happy," He commented.

She looked up from staring at her toes and smiled at him. "Well, I have coffee ice cream."

He smiled back. "That you do."

They smiled at each for a minute before going back to eating their ice cream.

"I want to play our game," Sydney said suddenly.

"Our game?" Vaughn asked raising an eyebrow at her slightly.

"Yes, our game." She answered.

"Has it always been our game?"

"Yes." She replied immediately.

"Yeah okay," He relented, "but there's one thing wrong with that."

"What?"

"I have no liquor." He said plainly.

She looked at him completely surprised. "What?"

"Well, I wasn't expecting to play. Need I remind you that it was you that suggested we play?" He explained.

Damn him for having a point. "No…but how are we going to play without it?"

He creased his brow, trying to think of a way to rectify their currant predicament. "Oh!" He said suddenly, causing her to jump a little. "I have an idea." He paused and she nodded impatiently for him to go on. "The ice cream."

She tilted her head to the side confused. "The ice cream?"

"You know," He said patiently, "Instead of taking a shot, you take a bite of ice cream."

The corners of her mouth twitched like she was going to smile. "I don't know…" She said slowly. It just wasn't the same without the liquor.

"We can't play any other way," He pressed. Playing with no liquor and ice cream instead was better in his mind than not playing at all.

Apparently she agreed because she stiffened in her chair slightly before nodded resignedly. "Alright. We'll play with the ice cream." She agreed reluctantly. Oh well, she could always _spice_ things up if you know what I mean.

He smiled at her as he got the cards out of his briefcase. Of course, the cards never left, just the liquor. He had a pretty good idea that she wanted the liquor to be a very large part of this round of the game but at the moment, that couldn't be helped. "You go first this time," He offered handing her half of the deck.

She took the half and shuffled it idly in her hand as she shook her head. "No. Since I _forced_ you into playing, then you go first."

Nice try but the guilt trip wasn't going to work on him (at least not yet). Besides, he still couldn't do anything about the lack of alcohol on the plane at thirty thousand feet. "Okay," He agreed, a little too happily for her –_why didn't the guilt trip work on him?_- and picked off the top card from his deck. "Jack."

She threw him a dirty look before extracting a five from her purse and throwing it to him. Hidden deep in her purse was the half a ten and half a twenty from the previous two rounds of their game and she smiled secretly to herself just at the thought of them.

"Go," He commanded, his tone light.

"I'm working on it," She grumbled ripping the top card off her half of the deck. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Dare." He answered immediately. There, that might make her be in a better mood.

She perked up at the dare request. Time to spice this game up a little. "Okay." She agreed, smirking. "I dare you to kiss me."

"What?" He asked surprised. It wasn't like _that_ was anything weird anymore but it was unexpected nonetheless. _She must really be missing that alcohol_, he mused.

"You heard me," She answered. "A kiss."

"Alright," He agreed, trying to sound exasperated but not doing a very good job at it. She grinned at him cheekily and he retracted his feet from her chair and got up. He stood over her for a second, calculating before leaning down and placing a soft kiss not on her lips but her forehead. She exhaled disbelieving and stared at him. What the hell? She felt cheated.

"Vaughn!" She cried once she found her voice.

He smirked at her and placed his feet back in their original position on her chair. "Yes?" He asked the picture of innocence.

She glared at him. "You suck."

He laughed and picked up another card. "Queen."

She grumbled again and pulled out a ten for him. "There."

"Thank you oh so very much," He replied, taking the ten from her.

She threw him another dirty look and grabbed another card. "Seven. Eat your ice cream, you cheater."

He laughed despite her tone and that made her sink lower into pouting mode than before. After he swallowed the mouthful of ice cream, he stuck his tongue out at her and she growled. "How, might I ask, did I cheat?"

She opened her mouth to snap at him but hit a dry spell thinking wise and closed it promptly. "You just did." She said finally and pitifully.

"That's helpful," He murmured as he took another card. "King."

"No way!" Sydney yelled incredulously. "No fricking way!"

He laughed. "Come on. Cough it up."

She growled and chucked a twenty at him, ripping off one of the corners in the process. This was getting ridiculous. First, no liquor. Second, he didn't give her the kiss she'd intended. And now she has to give him practically all her money? This sucked, it really and truly did.

"Can you ever just not rip money during this game?" He asked looking at the torn corner of the twenty.

"No." She snapped. The smirk he gave her didn't help her mood any as she grabbed another card. "Ten. This sucks."

"Only because you're losing," Vaughn pointed out as he took another spoonful of ice cream.

"Is it even possible to lose at this game?" Sydney asked raising an eyebrow.

"Apparently," He answered nodding towards her emptying wallet and less eaten ice cream carton. She gave him a glare as he reached for another card. "Two. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What are your many fetishes?" He asked complete serious.

She blinked at him. "What?" What kind of half assed question was that?

"The last time we played," He explained. "You said you had many fetishes, one of them being ripping money." Truthfully, he had forgotten about her saying that until she ripped his twenty this time around.

"Yeah, I know." She answered shortly. On the other hand, she didn't forget what she hadsaid. But then again, she had the best damn memory of anyone he knew with the exception of Marshall of course. "I'm just wondering where this suddenly came from."

"Nowhere. It's just my question and you have to answer it. That's the rules." He replied.

She had a feeling that part of his answer was a lie but she was too preoccupied with how much this was starting to suck for her that she didn't think too much about it. "Alright fine." She said. "Ripping money…"

He nodded. That one he knew.

"…kicking bad guys' asses…"

He nodded again. That one he knew too.

She paused and smiled at him mischievously. "…and something bedroom related that involves me, you, and a lot less clothes."

He stared at her, suddenly feeling like the temperature in the plane had just risen twenty degrees in four seconds. She held his gaze for a long time before he cracked and looked down. "Okay then."

Her naughty smile increased when he looked away. That's what he got for kissing her on the forehead! "Four." She said smugly after turning over a card. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Okay…" She trailed off and studied him for a moment before her eyes lit up as she thought of a question. "What are your fetishes?"

"Who says I even have any?" He asked smoothly.

"I do," She answered.

He laughed. "Yeah, okay." Damn her for being right. He swallowed and looked down at his hands. "It's going to sound cheesy," He warned.

"I don't care."

He nodded. "You."

Wow…okay, so she hadn't been expecting that. Yeah, it was kinda cheesy -kinda being used lightly- but at the same time, it was Vaughn and incredibly sweet. A smile crossed her face as she lowered her eyes and stared at the ice cream in her hand. She had yet to have any during the game, she noted. And that was odd. Usually, the shot cards came often and numerous for her.

Vaughn watched her, happy that she didn't laugh in his face for that. He would've understood if she had laughed. Hell, he would have laughed had he been in her position. But she hadn't. Thank God for her.

"What do you know," He mused aloud.

Her head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. "What?"

"The Ace of clubs," He answered, nodding towards the card he had turned over.

She stared at him before pulling off her beige dress shirt leaving her in a white undershirt. A smirk crossed her face as he stared openly at her. "See something you like?" She teased.

He swallowed hard and nodded slightly. "You could say that."

She laughed softly and he groaned, just barely, but a groan nonetheless. "Aww…poor you." She cooed as she turned over another card. This game was suddenly becoming much more enjoyable for her. True, she was still losing but that was beyond the point. "What do you know…the Ace of spades."

He chuckled darkly and unbuttoned each and every little button of his oxford before slipping it off his shoulders and tossing it onto the chair next to him. Her head tilted to the side as she stared at him in his white undershirt. "See something you like?" He teased.

She nodded dumbly. "Uh huh…" She licked her lips and exhaled slowly.

"At least you admit it," He teased as he grabbed another card. "Eight."

"Yes!" She cried when she heard him. "Finally! I get some ice cream." He laughed at her as she took a rather large bite of ice cream. She noticed his laughing and stuck her tongue out at him immaturely before grabbing a card. This game was coming back in her favor. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"That's two dares for you." She pointed out.

"I know."

"That's adventurous of you." She explained.

"Are you going to give me a dare or what?" He asked.

"Ooh, and impatient to," She taunted smirking. "Well, then, I guess I'm going to have to dare you to take off your shirt."

"You just have to change every single dare into some kind of fantasy of yours, don't you?" He asked, teasing.

She laughed. "It's just stripping your shirt. Don't tell me you're afraid of that."

"I'm not," He answered resentfully. "I'm more afraid of you." He teased taking off the white undershirt he was in.

"I resent that," She replied her eyes greedily taking in the sight of him completely shirtless.

He laughed at her and grabbed another card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Dare." She answered immediately.

"Okay then," He said slowly. "I dare you to take your shirt off."

Her eyes darkened and she did as she was dared, leaving her in just her white bra. God did she hope that the plane didn't land within the next thirty seconds and the pilot didn't come back to the cabin. That would be awkward. With a glance outside the window, she realized they were still in the air and would be for awhile and breathed a sigh of relief.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"What was what for?" She asked back.

"That sigh of yours," He answered.

She smiled. "Just realizing that the plane won't land for a little while and that the pilot won't walk in on us like this." She nodded between her own scantily clad self and then to him.

A laugh escaped his lips. "Yeah. That would be awkward."

"And embarrassing," She added.

"Yes, that too," He agreed.

She looked at him, tilting her head to the side inquiringly. "Are you embarrassed of this relationship?" She asked.

Wait…huh? Where did _that_ question come from? Of course he wasn't embarrassed by their relationship. Well, maybe she got it from him agreeing that it would be embarrassing for the pilot to walk in. But she had suggested it, so if anything, she was the embarrassed one. "No!" Vaughn answered immediately. "Remind me to kiss you right in front of Kendall and your dad one of these days."

She smiled and looked down, blushing a little. "I will." She responded quietly before going for another card. "Six."

He caught her blush and smiled to himself, both because of the fact that he made her blush, and that he got more ice cream and she didn't. "Queen," He said after turning another card over.

"What?" She asked disbelieving. That was what, thirty five dollars she's had to give him and she's gotten nothing in return? That sucks. It really does. "Here," She growled throwing him a ten.

He caught the ten and smirked. "Is that thirty five dollars now?" He pointed out.

"Yes," She answered shortly.

"Interesting."

Sydney gave him a weird look before grabbing a card and grinning instantly. "Yes! King!" She yelled happily.

Vaughn laughed and tossed her the twenty she had given him earlier. "There you go."

She laughed as well and kissed the twenty before putting it back in her purse. "Okay, now I feel better."

"You just kissed that twenty," He pointed out.

"Yes," She agreed like it was no big deal. Granted, it was weird but she didn't want to dwell on it. "Now go."

"Someone's impatient," He teased and doing as she commanded. "Nine."

"Yes!" She yelled again eliciting a laugh out of him as she took another large bite of her coffee ice cream. "Okay, so…seven." Her face fell a little when she turned over her next card.

"Funny how that works," He teased, taking a smaller than hers bite of ice cream. She gave him a tired look and he turned over another card without another comment. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"You're very adventurous today," He noted.

"And you're procrastinating," She countered.

He laughed and thought for a moment. "Alright…even though I'm copying you, I dare you to kiss me."

She raised an eyebrow at him. Yeah, that was copying her earlier dare but it also gave her an excellent chance to pay him back for the little move he'd pulled earlier with the forehead kiss. Slowly, she pulled her feet off his chair and stood up, a carefully maintained smile on her face. Somehow, he didn't trust that smile and when she pecked him lightly on the cheek, his suspicions were confirmed.

"You suck," He told her, pouting just like she had when he'd cheated her of a kiss.

"Yes, well," She started, "payback's a bitch."

"Apparently," He commented.

She gave him a look before grabbing a card. "Eight."

He took her lack of a snide remark as a blessing and quickly downed his ice cream.

She noticed and smirked, "Good boy."

He shook his head ruefully. "You're a very weird woman, Syd." He commented.

"Thanks," She answered sarcastically. "And you're dating the weird woman, so there." She added as an afterthought.

"I never said it was a bad thing," He explained. "Just a random comment."

"A very random comment."

He shrugged and reached for a card. "Ten."

"I love this part," She sighed happily after taking a bite of ice cream.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you had to take shots," He pointed out.

Oh yeah, she had complained bitterly about having to take shots in the first two times they'd played this game. Wow…she forgot about that completely. So much for having the best memory around. But then again, she had really wanted the liquor to be in this round. So, he wasn't completely right.

"Whatever," She said finally and reaching for a card. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Aw…no more dares?" She taunted.

"No more dares," He agreed.

She stuck out her bottom lip pouting for a moment. "Oh alright, fine. Am I ever going to see your place?" She asked.

"We've been dating for about two weeks," He pointed out.

"And you've seen my place in that amount of time," She countered.

"Yeah, okay," He sighed. "I don't know. Soon."

"Soon?" She repeated raising an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean." He answered.

"Yeah, fine." She relented.

He laughed softly and picked up a card. "Two. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Vaughn studied her for a moment before asking, "What do you hate the most about the Alliance finally being gone?"

"What kind of question is that?" Sydney asked confused. Hate the most? Wouldn't it be the other way around?

"It's my question and a very good one, now answer it." He answered.

"I don't know," She sighed. "Dixon being my partner. We had a lot of good times together. Now he won't even speak to me." She looked down at her hands and stared.

"He'll come around," He said reassuringly.

"Oh yeah?" She asked, looking up with a skeptical eye. "What makes you say that?"

"After all you told me about him, I feel like I know him well enough to say that he'll forgive you. Just give him some time."

A soft smile touched the corners of her mouth as she nodded very slightly. "I can do that."

"Good," He answered firmly.

The smile on her lips grew a small amount as she grabbed another card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Okay, mister very good question. What do you hate the most about the Alliance finally being gone?" She asked, teasing.

"Having to listen to you complain about Sloane," He answered. "No wait… that's what I _love_ the most about it being gone." She narrowed her eyes at him, sensing that he was kidding but not enjoying it all that much. He shrugged then. Point taken. "I don't know… I didn't really have any kind of an attachment to it."

She took his answer without question and nodded towards his deck. "Your turn."

"I realize that," He answered with a slight smirk as he turned over a card. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's your favorite food?"

"Where do you come up with this stuff?" She asked. Could he get any more random?

"Just do." He shrugged. "Now answer."

She sighed and thought about it for a moment. "Orange chicken." She said finally, then added as an afterthought, "With chow mien."

"Good choice," He nodded his agreement.

"Why thank you," She answered a little awkwardly. What the hell had he meant by _that_?" You know what, she didn't really want to know. Forget it. "Ace of diamonds," She said proudly, setting down the card she had just picked up. "The pants, Mister Vaughn. The pants."

He shook his head wistfully and reached down, making it seem like he was going to take off his pants, but instead bypassing that and going for his shoes and socks. Once those were gone, he straightened and laughed at her disappointed and utterly shocked expression.

"Vaughn!" She cried when she found her voice.

"Yes?"

"You suck," She told him, with a hint of a growl in her voice.

He laughed harder. "So you've already told me." Before she could add something in there, he picked up another card and turned it over. "King."

She growled and threw him a twenty. Okay, so she lost a lot of money to him in this game today. "There you go, oh master of the money." She said sarcastically.

"Why thank you," He answered, pocketing the twenty.

She threw him a look and picked up a card. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

She sighed heavily. That was not the card she'd wanted and the fact that he chose dare didn't help any. "Has Francie seemed weird to you these past few weeks?"

Oh and he was random? A frown line appeared between his eyes as he thought about it. "I've only known Francie for about two weeks. Maybe I'm not the person to ask." He answered after awhile.

She nodded. He had a point. Making the mental note to ask Will about it later, she said, "Yeah, you're right."

He nodded as well and reached for a card. "Six."

She smiled instantly and downed her large bite of coffee ice cream.

"Agent Bristow? Agent Vaughn?" The voice of the pilot over the intercom scared the hell out of them and both of them jumped. "We'll be landing soon," He continued before switching the intercom off.

Sydney and Vaughn stared at each other for a moment before panic set in and they scrambled to clean up both their appearances and the cabin.

Five minutes later, their shirts were back on and in place, his shoes and socks were back on his feet, the money exchanged was tucked away, the ice cream containers were thrown into the small trashcan on the plane and when Sydney reached for the cards to put them away, Vaughn placed a hand on her wrist, stopping the motion.

She looked up at him confused. "What?"

"One more card," He answered. "Just turn over one more."

A soft smile touched her lips as she did as he wanted her to and turned over the top card on her deck. Her smile increased as she looked to him happily. "The Ace of hearts."

He grinned back tearing his eyes away from the card to her face. "I guess I owe you something then." He answered.

She nodded. "Yes, you do."

"Finally." He whispered before bringing her lips to his and kissing her.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter: Post The Telling. I'm so evil.


	4. Round 4

Round four! Joys!

I know, in _Legacy,_ Vaughn came straight from the hospital to work but for this chap, I changed it so that he went back to work the night before with Syd and Weiss (some people asked that Weiss play and that was in my original plan so props to you guys). I told you that I'd make it a little AU. In case you haven't figured it out, this is set a little bit before _Legacy_.

Rules of the game are located on Chapter Two.

Responses to reviews are on my livejournal. Click on the homepage link on my author page to access them.

Oh yes and this chapter is dedicated to Julia, one of my bestest Alias buddies cause it's her birthday! Party at her igloo! You know I'm just kidding, Julia. Happy birthday girl!

* * *

"I hate paperwork," Eric Weiss whined, breaking the silence that had enveloped all three agents as they worked tirelessly on a mountain of paperwork that had piled up on their desks.

Sydney laughed and dropped her pen, leaning back to stretch her sore arms. "You're not the only one." She answered lightly.

"I could use a drink," He continued, still whining.

"Is drinking all that you think about?" Vaughn asked from his desk, laughing.

"No…" Weiss answered stubbornly. Like he was going to admit to anyone, best friend or no, that all he thought about was alcohol.

"You know…" Sydney said thoughtfully. "There might be a way to get out of paperwork and get a drink." She glanced over at Vaughn, their eyes meeting. They were both thinking the same thing.

Their game.

"What?" Weiss asked, anxious to hear anything and everything that would delay the work and get him drunk.

Vaughn reached into his desk and pulled out a deck of cards and set it on top ofthe desk. "You still have that bottle of tequila in your drawer, right?"

Weiss stared at the cards for a moment before he realized what was going on. He knew what game they were thinking about. "Yeah," He answered, opening the bottom left drawer of his desk and extracting a nearly full bottle of alcohol.

"Wait…" Sydney put in, confused. How the hell did Weiss know about the game? "How do you...?"

She was interrupted by Weiss asking, "Who do you think helped Vaughn come up with the game?"

She stared at him for a moment before turning to Vaughn. "You didn't tell me that Weiss knew how to play."

"You never asked," Vaughn countered, splitting the deck into the thirds and passing out two of the thirds to the other two people.

"True," She admitted.

"We gonna play or what?" Weiss interjected impatiently.

Sydney chuckled. "Since you're so impatient, you can go first."

"Good," Weiss answered, grabbing the top card of his deck. "Three. What kind of crap is this?" He asked rhetorically. Neither Sydney nor Vaughn bothered to answer. "Alright, let's see…Mike, truth or dare?"

"How did I know you were going to pick me?" Vaughn murmured causing Sydney to laugh. "Truth."

"Dude, you're a chicken." Weiss shot at him making Sydney laugh harder. "And how many one night stands have you had?"

"You always ask me that question." Vaughn answered shaking his head ruefully. "And I always respond with none."

"Well, that's because I think that you're lying." Weiss replied.

"It's truth or dare, I can't lie, you idiot." Vaughn shot back causing Sydney to break into a fit of giggles.

"Laugh it up, Syd. Just wait until it'syour turn." Weiss threatened.

Sydney blanched slightly and promptly shut her mouth.

"Alright…six," Vaughn said, turning over a card. "That means Sydney has to take a shot."

Sydney threw him a dirty look before throwing back her shot.

Weiss on the other hand, well he looked hurt. "Mike, the whole reason we're playing this game is so I can get drunk. What the hell?" He whined.

"I wouldn't say it was the whole reason," Vaughn answered. "You forgot about paperwork."

Weiss made a face while crossing his arms over his chest and saying nothing.

Sydney laughed and grabbed her own card. "Queen. I believe that Mr. Weiss is going to owe me ten dollars now."

"Yeah, yeah." Weiss grumbled, taking out his wallet and tossing her a ten dollar bill. "You're both conspiring against me."

"How's that?" Vaughn asked smirking.

"You're a liar who won't help me get drunk and she's taking all of money, that's how." Weiss replied sounding very immature.

Sydney giggled again while Vaughn smiled wistfully.

Weiss mumbled something unintelligible under his breath –neither Vaughn nor Sydney dared ask him what he said in fear that he would repeat it- and grabbed another card. "Jack…well, hand me five big ones boyscout." They seemed to be going in a circle now. Weiss first to Vaughn, then Vaughn to Sydney and then Sydney back to Weiss. Well, at least it was fair.

Vaughn shuddered lightly and handed Weiss his prize. "I really hate when you do that, you know that."

"Do what?" Weiss asked the picture of innocence.

"Call me boyscout. It's weird." Vaughn informed him, suppressing another shudder.

"How is it weird? It's your code name." Weiss answered knowing what Vaughn was talking about. His friend was too easy to bother and creep out.

"It's how you say it," Vaughn explained. He knew Weiss wasn't innocent like he claimed to be and he hated him for that.

"Boyscout," Weiss repeated just to freak his friend out.

"I hate you," Vaughn muttered angrily.

Sydney laughed yet again. She seemed to be full of laughter today. Not that Vaughn was really complaining. It had been too long since he'd last been able to really hear and enjoy her laugh.

Vaughn gave her a quickglare before he picked off another card. "Seven. Take another shot, giggles."

It was Sydney's turn to glare at him. Both because of the nickname he gave her and the fact that she had to take another shot. Twice in row and they'd only just started! This was going to suck.

After she'd taken the shot, Weiss mused aloud, "How is it that she's the only getting the shots?"

"Next one you can take for me," Sydney offered.

Just as Weiss was about to accept, Vaughn shook his head and put in first, "You can't do that. It's part of the rules."

"Well, the rules suck then." Weiss answered, mirroring Sydney's thoughts.

"You helped create them." Vaughn shot at him. "If you hate them so much, blame yourself."

Weiss muttered to himself and once more neither Sydney nor Vaughn dared to ask what he was saying.

Sydney rolled her eyes and grabbed a card. "Two. Truth or dare Weiss?"

"Dare." Weiss answered immediately.

"Since Vaughn is being such a stickler for rules," She started slowly. "I dare you to take a shot."

"I love you Sydney Bristow," Weiss cried, happily accepting his shot from a disgruntled Vaughn. "Marry me!"

Sydney laughed. "Um…no thanks." She answered as best she could through her giggles.

However, she didn't see the unrelenting glare Vaughn was throwing in Weiss's direction. He'd just gotten rid of the wife from hell; he didn't need his best friend proposing –serious or not- to his ex girlfriend he wanted back desperately.

Weiss, on the other hand, noticed the glare and immediately stopped his joking about marrying Sydney in every form. "Right…so…Jack." He said, picking off a card. "That means Mikey has to give me five bucks."

"Do you really have to call me Mikey?" Vaughn asked, handing him the five dollars. "It's really weird."

"Well, it's either boyscout or Mikey. Take your pick." Weiss told him.

Vaughn shuddered. "Fine…Mikey it is."

"Thought so," Weiss chuckled causing yet more giggles out of Sydney.

Throwing her a look, Vaughn grabbed a card. "Ace of diamonds."

Sydney sighed heavily and shrugged off her suit jacket. Both men looked a little put out. For two very different reasons of course. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to strip in the middle of the office."

"No one's around," Weiss reasoned making Vaughn glare at the side of his head.

Sydney blushed and shook her head, dropping her gaze to stare at her desk. "No." She answered quietly.

"Aww…Syd's no fun." Weiss whined.

"Not every girl is a half drunk college girl and she doesn't have to strip anything else if she doesn't want to." Vaughn shot at Weiss, still glaring at him. "Unless she gets another strip card of course," He added as an afterthought.

Sydney gave him a little smile of thanks and turned over her next card. "Nine. See Weiss, you didn't even have to take my shot." She teased.

Weiss laughed, "Thank God for you, Sydney Bristow." She laughed amused as he downed his shot. He wasn't really the one she wanted to be hearing that from.

"Okay…four. Truth or dare Mikey?" Weiss asked, after revealing another card.

"Truth."

"Chicken shit," Weiss coughed, not very discreetly. Vaughn gave him a tired look while Sydney rolled her eyes. "Fine. How many times have you gotten drunk to the point where you passed out where you were standing?"

"You were there for all of them," Vaughn muttered. "And six."

Sydney raised an eyebrow and looked between the two men. "How stupid were your college days exactly?"

"Very."

"Not much."

Well, that was confusing. Vaughn says they were really stupid and Weiss says that they weren't really that stupid. Somehow, she was inclined to believe Vaughn more.

"Five. Syd, truth or dare?" Vaughn asked, snapping Sydney out her thoughts. She saw that while she had been thinking, he had grabbed another card.

"Truth."

"Chicken shit," Weiss coughed for the second time. This time the other two ignored him completely.

"Exactly how many times have you let Weiss get drunk in your apartment?" He asked.

Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?" She asked.

"Just do, doing some research."

"For what?" She asked eluding answering his question.

"Just answer the question." He told her.

She mentally calculated the times. "Fifteen…maybe sixteen." Her memory wasn't so great when she was drunk as well.

"That settles it. Tomorrow, I'm putting you in an AAA program," Vaughn told Weiss.

"Hey!" Weiss frowned. "I don't drink that much."

Vaughn coughed discreetly while Sydney covered her mouth with her to hide her smile.

Weiss glared at them both. "I told you that you two were out to get me." He muttered grumpily.

Sydney rolled her eyes again and reached for a card. "Ten. A shot should make you feel better."

Weiss gave her another glare for her snide remark but downed his shot all the same. "Right so…" He paused as his fingers grabbed another card. "Six. Finally, Mikey has to take a shot. 'Bout time."

Vaughn gave him a weird look while pouring his shot. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked after downing the alcohol.

"Both Syd and me have taken shots," Weiss explained. "It's about time that you did."

"You're just trying to get me drunk." Vaughn muttered.

"Well, it's been five months since I last saw you drink anything alcoholic." Weiss countered. "'Bout time you drink."

Sydney gave Vaughn a weird look. "You haven't drunk? Anything?" During their short time together, he had no problem with a glass of wine at dinner or in their case, a weird shot game on an airplane.

Vaughn shook his head. "Lauren didn't like me drinking," He admitted without thinking about it first. The look on Sydney's face at the mention of wife who turned out to be a traitorous bitch and whohad tortured him with Sark for information immediately told him that he'd said the wrong thing. "Oh wait, that didn't sound right." He corrected immediately.

"But it's the truth isn't it?" Sydney asked doing a pretty good job at hiding her resentment.

"Well, yeah…" He admitted hesitantly.

"Then why are you covering it up?" Sydney pushed.

Her stare made him look down at his desk rather than her. "I don't know. Can we just forget about this?"

"Whatever," She answered shortly.

Weiss looked between them almost able to taste the bitterness coming from Sydney. Not that he really could blame her. The man did pretty much ditch her after less than two years for an evil witch.

"Mikey! Go!" He whined, hoping to break the tension. It worked because Sydney smiled in amusement.

Vaughn welcomed the distraction gratefully and made the mental note to thank his friend later. "King." He said, upon revealing his next card.

Sydney threw him a twenty without comment. While that was nice, he sort of missed her snide remarks when she had to give up money.

"Two," She said after turning over a card. "Truth or dare, Weiss?"

"Dare," Weiss answered a little too enthusiastically.

She laughed. "You know I'm not going to dare you to take a shot, don't you?"

His face fell. "Aww…come on Syd. I'm like your best friend, aren't I?"

"Unfortunately," She muttered loud enough for him to hear.

"Ha. Ha. Come on…dare me to take a shot!" He prodded.

She shook her head. "No…I dare you to…not flirt with that secretary you like so much for two full weeks starting tomorrow."

His expression proved it could fall further. "What? Two weeks? No secretary? Syd!"

She laughed harder. The secretary in question had approached her a few days ago and asked her if she knew how to stop Weiss from flirting with her for at least two weeks. Sydney told her that she'd take care of it. "That's your dare. Learn to live with it."

Weiss mumbled something under his breath and Sydney was sure she had heard him curse her several times in German. This only proved to further her laughter. "Mikey! Make her stop laughing at me!"

Vaughn was too busy watching Sydney laugh with a nostalgic smile on his face to comply with the order. Good Lord had he missed her laughter. It'd been too long since he'd heard it, that much he'd already decided on already that evening. But hey, it never hurt to repeat such a sentiment. "Just draw your next card," He answered.

Weiss cursed him in German as well before drawing another card. "Eight! Ha ha, Mikey has to take another shot!"

Vaughn rolled his eyes and downed his shot. "And you still don't have another one." He reminded.

Weiss narrowed his eyes. "Don't remind me." He muttered.

Sydney was still laughing so Vaughn had to repeat his card that he drew for her. "Syd! I said ten!"

"What?" Sydney asked, stopping in her laughter. "Oh right…give me the shot."

"No fair!" Weiss mumbled irritated.

"Oh, quit your complaining," Sydney chastised after swallowing her shot. "Let's see…four. Truth or dare?"

"Guess I'm going to have to go with truth cause you won't dare me to take a shot," Weiss answered, obviously still pouting.

Sydney rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. "Out of curiosity, how many one night stands have you had?"

"Yeah, Weiss, how many?" Vaughn put in, smirking knowledgably.

Weiss glared at him before lowering his head and answering in a low but very audible tone. "Three."

Sydney erupted in giggles. From the way he carried on, she would have thought that would have been a higher number.

"Just wait…karma will get you Sydney Bristow," Weiss threatened. The threat fell on deaf ears. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed another card. "Ace of the clubs…aw, man I don't want to see Mikey strip."

Vaughn rolled his eyes and loosened his tie, tossing it onto his desk. "There, just my tie. You can open your eyes now."

Weiss did and shrugged impassively while Sydney looked a little bit disappointed. When Vaughn glanced to her, she lowered her gaze in an attempt to hide her disappointment.

Vaughn smiled and drew another card. "Five. Truth or dare, Syd?"

"Truth," She answered softly.

"The question of the hour: how many one night stands have you had?"

Sydney raised her eyebrow slightly. "None. Just like you."

"You two shame me," Weiss commented sarcastically.

She laughed again and picked off another card. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Umm…dare."

Sydney took a moment to think about it. "This is a pity dare. I dare you to take another shot."

"Yes!" Weiss cried excited. "You are the best woman on the face of the planet Sydney!" He declared before downing the fiery liquid.

"Don't let your secretary friend hear that," She told him.

He shrugged. "She has yet to give me alcohol. _You_ have done so at least four times." He reached for another card. "Nine. Shot for Mikey!"

Vaughn shook his head warily and threw back his shot. "You're taking too much pleasure in me taking shots."

"Yeah, I am." Weiss answered.

Vaughn shook his head again as he grabbed a card. "Queen. Ten dollars, Syd."

Sydney dug around in her purse for a ten but came up with nothing. However, she did come across a twenty. Grinning evilly, she ripped the twenty in half and tossed him the half.

Weiss stared in shock. "You just ripped a twenty."

"Yes." Sydney answered calmly.

Vaughn caught the money and stared at it nostalgia running ramped again. That was one of her fetishes, he remembered. Ripping money. Looking back up at her, he almost asked if she still had the halves of bills from the first three times they'd played the game together. Thankfully he caught himself. Of course she wouldn't still have them. Everything she owned had been burned in the fire.

Maybe he better not mention that he still had his. Even after marrying Lauren, he couldn't bring himself to get rid of them. For that he was very thankful of today.

"She has a fetish for ripping money," He stated.

Weiss frowned. "How the hell do you know that?"

"She told me." Vaughn answered simply.

"Is that true, Syd? You really have a fetish for ripping money?"

Sydney was smiling at Vaughn, the same nostalgia running through her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah, I do. Among other things."

"Other things?" Weiss repeated interested.

"Another truth or dare question," Sydney replied avoiding the issue.

"Mikey, you _have_ to ask her that." Weiss commanded.

"Why?" Vaughn asked evenly. "I already know what her other ones are."

Sydney blushed and tore her gaze away from them.

However, Weiss caught her blush and raised an eyebrow. "I take it they're embarrassing?"

"Hey, it's my turn," Sydney said changing the subject abruptly. She turned over a card before either could get a word in. "Ace of spades. I really don't want to see you strip."

"Course you do," Weiss countered shrugging off his suit jacket. "At least I'm willing to lose the jacket unlike _some_ people with their stupid ties." He added.

"I thought you didn't want to see that," Vaughn answered.

Weiss shrugged. "Wasn't talking about what I wanted." He left the other two to contemplate that as he grabbed another card. "Two. Truth or dare?" He asked monotone.

"Don't sound too excited," Vaughn joked.

"I'll try not to," Weiss answered. "Now…_truth _or_ dare_?"

"Dare."

Weiss perked up. "Dare you say? In that case, I dare the chaste Mikey to take a shot."

"Seriously?" Vaughn asked though he was pouring the shot nonetheless.

"Yes, now take your dues like the rest of us." Weiss told him.

Vaughn rolled his eyes and took his shot. "I hate you sometimes."

"I know you do." Weiss answered off handedly.

Vaughn decided to ignore him and grabbed a card. "Seven. Shot, Sydney?"

Sydney had been watching their banter with a raised eyebrow. She associated with strange people, she concluded when she downed her shot dutifully. "King, that means Mr. Weiss owes me twenty big ones." She smirked after turning over her top card.

Weiss grumbled and tossed her a twenty. "See? I told you. It's a conspiracy."

"But you're gotten some liquor," Sydney pointed out.

"And some money," Vaughn added.

"Oh, like five shots and ten dollars. Big whoop." Weiss grumbled.

"Stop whining and draw your next card," Vaughn commanded.

Weiss threw him a look but did as he was told. "Four. Truth or dare?"

"Dare because you're pouting again."

"I knew pouting would get me something one day," Weiss deadpanned. As if getting Vaughn to say dare because of his pouting was any big catch. Maybe it would be for Sydney but he had his sights set on something higher. Like his secretary friend. "I dare you to…" He paused thinking over his several options. "Ah heck, I'm in mushy sort of mood when I'm drunk. Give Sydney a kiss."

Sydney's eyes widened slightly at the unexpected dare. Her eyes darted back from Weiss and Vaughn rapidly, silently wondering _how_ Weiss could dare Vaughn to do that.

Vaughn noticed her surprise and what looked like nervousness and had to take a deep breath to calm his own nerves. The last time he'd kissed her was…well, it was in North Korea when they thought they were going to die.

Weiss threw him a look that Sydney didn't catch and Vaughn got out of his chair to close the short distance between their desks. She looked up when he approached and their eyes locked.

"On the lips," Weiss coughed.

Sydney smiled a little when he made his remark and helped close the distance between hers and Vaughn's lips. The kiss was simple, short, almost friendly. Almost because neither one wanted to pull back when they did. But with Weiss in the room and the over powering tension about Lauren barricaded between them, that really wouldn't be a good idea.

"You two kiss like nuns," Weiss said sardonically.

"Well, you're in the room." Vaughn told him, returning to his own desk and sitting back down. "Kind of a mood killer."

Weiss gave him a dirty look. "Gee, thanks."

"Anytime." Vaughn responded off handedly as he turned over his next card. "Jack."

"First you kiss her crappily and then you take her money," Weiss admonished. "Shame on Mikey."

"Weiss, do me a favor and shut up." Sydney commanded, tossing Vaughn a five dollar bill. No ripping money this time around.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Weiss said.

Sydney raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a very Jack-like glare. That glare must be a Bristow thing. "Good." She said when he didn't say anymore. "Eight. That really ought to shut you up."

Weiss grinned and took his shot. "Can't argue with that logic."

Sydney smiled. "Thought so."

"Alrighties…" He said drawing another card. "Nine. I think drinking makes Mikey more talkative."

"I think drinking makes you an ass," Vaughn muttered taking his shot.

"I love you too Mikey," Weiss said sing song like.

Sydney laughed. "I think drinking makes you more friendly."

"See? That's the kind of support that I want," Weiss said beaming at Sydney.

"I don't think she meant friendly in a good way," Vaughn pointed out.

Weiss frowned, never thinking of this possibility before. "Well, that sucks."

"Only for you," Vaughn responded as he grabbed his next card. "Queen."

"Someone's greedy tonight," Weiss put in.

Sydney laughed while handing Vaughn his money. "Somebody's making a lot of snide remarks tonight."

"It's the alcohol," Both Vaughn and Weiss answered her at the same time causing her to laugh harder. The two men exchanged a look, both smiling.

Sydney slowed her laughter enough to grab another card. "Four. Truth or dare Weiss?"

"Truth," Weiss answered without thinking about it. "No wait! I mean dare!"

"You can't change your mind," Vaughn informed him.

"Damn." Weiss muttered.

Sydney smiled triumphantly. "Alright. Who taught you how to drink like you do?"

"No one," Weiss answered proudly. "Unless you can't a whole bunch of college frat parties."

Vaughn chuckled. "The sad thing is, he's not lying."

Weiss gave him a tired look and turned over a card. "Eight. Ha!"

Vaughn raised an eyebrow after taking his shot. "What? It's just a shot." He asked nonchalantly.

"I hate when you do that," Weiss muttered.

"Do what?"

"Act like nothing's a big deal to you," Weiss replied. "It's annoying."

"Well, I hate when you call me Mikey. We're even." Vaughn answered.

Sydney's laughter was interrupted by her cell phone starting to ring. "Hello?...Oh hey Marshall…that was tonight?...of course I didn't forget…I'm on my way…tell Carrie hi for me…see you soon." She hung up and looked at the two men with a guilty smile. "I promised Marshall that I'd watch Mitch for him while he and Carrie went out for their first dinner date as husband and wife."

Vaughn nodded. "That's nice of you."

"It's Marshall," Sydney shrugged. "His gadgets have saved my life countless times. This is my way of paying him back." She stood up and gathered her purse and coat. "You two can clean up right?"

They both nodded.

"Thanks," She smiled.

"Word of the wise, don't drive yourself over there," Weiss called after her. "Take a cab!"

"I was planning on it!" Sydney called back. Then she was gone.

Weiss turned to Vaughn and smiled. "Turn over your next card."

Vaughn frowned. "Why?"

"Just do it."

Vaughn sighed and turned over his next card. "The Ace of hearts." He mused wistfully.

Weiss was silent for a moment before he asked, "Now that your wife is a backstabbing bitch who tortured you, you're going to go after Syd right?"

Vaughn smiled and started to clean up the mess on his desk. "Soon," He answered softly just loud enough for Weiss to hear and he did.

* * *

A/N: My plans for the next and final chapter is for it be during season four. I know that some people haven't gotten the fourth season yet. I heard that Australians get it in like April. (can someone give me a more exact date perhaps?). I imagine that a lot of people want to stay spoiler free, so because of that, I'm putting this story on hold for a little while until I'm sure that I'm not spoiling anyone.


	5. Round 5

And it's back!

It's been like two months and about two fits from me about it but it's back!

This is set in season four and I tried to be as general as possible with it. But there are spoilers and if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read. Oh yes and this is the last chapter. No really. It is.

Game rules are explained in chapter two and this chapter as well.

Enjoy!

* * *

Sydney wasn't sure whether the worst part about working at APO was her father or Sloane. She couldn't stand to be around her father because he had killed her mother. Yes, he killed Irina to save her, Sydney, but that didn't console her much.

And Sloane… well, he was the bastard who lied to her for six years and killed her fiancé.

She was stuck and she knew it.

The only bright side was that Dixon was her partner again, Vaughn and her were beginning to connect once more, and her sister was living with her. Alright, so the good outweighed the bad numerically, but that was a lot of hurt from the bad.

"We need to take a break," Weiss announced, leaning back in his chair.

Sydney, Weiss, Vaughn and Nadia were sitting around the white table at APO, discussing the best way to find Nightingale (whatever that was). Jack and Sloane were in Prague (for whatever reason, neither had specified) and Dixon had the night off to be with his kids.

So the quartet was left to man things at the fort.

"I second that," Nadia murmured, dropping her pen.

"Third," Vaughn added in running his hand through his already spiky hair.

Sydney was tempted to throw in the hat as well. "We have to figure this out."

"We're not going to do that on fried brains and empty stomachs," Weiss pointed out.

"When's the food going to get here?" Vaughn asked.

"How _long_ ago did you order the food?" Nadia questioned looking a little confused.

"Sydney ordered it," Vaughn answered, "Ask her."

"No I didn't," Sydney defended. "Weiss was supposed to."

"I told Nadia to," Weiss put in.

"And I told Vaughn to," Nadia added.

"And I told Sydney to," Vaughn concluded.

"Brilliant plan guys," Weiss said sardonically checking his watch. "It's too late to order from anywhere."

"Maybe we should go home," Nadia suggested.

Sydney opened her mouth to protest but it was Vaughn who answered. "No, Sloane and Jack left us with this work, we have to get it done by tomorrow."

"It's already tomorrow," Weiss pointed out showing them his watch. It was about fifteen after twelve.

"You know what I mean," Vaughn answered patiently.

"I'm starved," Weiss argued. "And tired."

"There's a fridge here," Sydney stated, pushing back from the table and standing up. The other three watched her as she walked across the office towards Sloane's office.

"Figures," Weiss muttered shaking his head wistfully. "You know what we should do?" He asked, perking up a little.

"What?" Vaughn asked boredly.

"Well, we need a little break, so what better way to get that break but play that game," Weiss explained.

Vaughn sat up straighter, obviously liking that idea.

"What game?" Nadia asked.

"_The_ game," Weiss replied vaguely.

"That's helpful," Nadia muttered.

"A game me and Mike made up in our college years," Weiss explained for her. "He and Sydney used to play it all the time."

"Not all the time," Vaughn defended.

"Only on missions, whatever," Weiss replied.

"You forgot that we need liquor," Sydney said suddenly. She had four sodas, and various food items including popcorn, leftovers, and string cheese in her hands. "And we don't have any here."

Weiss fell silent at this.

"We can improvise," Vaughn piped up. "Like we did with Mexico, when we used the ice cream."

"You used ice cream?" Weiss asked sounding scandalized.

Vaughn shushed him.

"Soda's not really the same," Sydney countered.

"But we can mix soda with other things," Nadia said her eyes taking on a mischievous light.

"Like some nasty concoction thing." So that's what Weiss called it. Very scientific.

Sydney rolled her eyes and placed the soda and food in front of Weiss and Nadia. "You two knock yourselves out."

Weiss and Nadia grabbed the food stuffs and one of the glasses of water off the table and started adding things to it. It looked rancid and was starting to smell like it too.

"Do you have cards?" Sydney asked Vaughn.

Vaughn shook his head. "No… for once I don't."

"You're a failure to all of us," Weiss mocked finally catching a whiff of his concoction.

"Marshall has some," Nadia commented, not looking up. "Or I saw him fiddling with a deck of cards two days ago."

"Knowing Marshall, they're rigged to explode," Sydney joked.

"All the more fun," Weiss answered. "Go get 'em."

"Yes, sir," Sydney rolled her eyes moving to go for the cards.

"I'll get them," Vaughn offered bypassing her.

She threw up her hands and turned back to her sister and partner. "Do either of you realize that you're going to have to take a drink of that at least once?"

Weiss stopped and frowned at the concoction. "That's not a pleasant thought."

"What do you mean, drink it?" Nadia asked. Someone had yet to explain the rules of the game to her but if it involved drinking the concoction, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"You'll see," Sydney answered off handedly.

"Okay, seriously," Nadia said after Vaughn had returned with the cards and Weiss had finished mixing random things into the glass. "What is this game?"

"Vaughn and Weiss made it up in their college days," Sydney started.

Nadia raised an eyebrow. "Okay…."

"Mike, you explain," Weiss ordered.

Vaughn rolled his eyes. "Alright. You get a half or third or fourth or whatever of the deck and you draw a card out of it. You get a card from a two to a five and you ask someone truth or dare? Got it?"

Nadia nodded.

"Draw a card six through ten and you make someone take a shot. Okay?"

Nadia nodded again.

"Any of the face cards, jack, queen, king, and someone has to give you money. Jack you get five. Queen, ten. And king, twenty. Alright?"

Another nod.

"Okay, now for the aces. The ace of spades, diamonds, and clubs are strip cards. You have to strip an article of clothing."

"I know what striping is," Nadia answered.

Vaughn nodded. "Well… Weiss doesn't."

Weiss stuck his tongue out at Vaughn.

"And the ace of hearts is the kiss card. You have to kiss someone."

"Or someone has to kiss you," Sydney reworded to make it sound a little less strange.

Nadia nodded, licking her lips. "So who goes first?"

"You," Weiss answered. "Because you asked."

"Should I feel honored?" Nadia murmured sarcastically.

"Yes," Weiss told her immediately.

"Well in that case," Nadia replied smiling slightly. "Deal the cards."

Two minutes later, Vaughn had the cards shuffled and passed out to the four players. They'd decided that Nadia would go, and then Weiss, and then Vaughn, and finally Sydney in that time.

"Um… nine. Oh, that means you have to drink the concoction, doesn't it?"

Weiss grimaced and nodded as Vaughn laughed and pushed the glass towards him.

"Drink up," Vaughn mocked.

"Shut up," Weiss shot back grumpily, gingerly picking up the glass. At the last minute he pinched his nose to block the taste and took a drink. "Oh, I got a chunk of something in there."

Sydney laughed into the back of her hand. "Then I hope I never have to drink any of it."

"Oh but you will Bristow," Weiss commented vaguely causing Sydney to roll her eyes.

"Just go," Vaughn interrupted.

"Queen," Weiss muttered, taking the top card off of his deck. "Give me ten dollars Vaughn."

"Someone's demanding," Nadia teased.

"He deserves it. He took my money the last time," Weiss countered indignantly.

"No I didn't," Vaughn answered. "Sydney did."

"Oh yes, and you gave me liquor," Weiss muttered. "Now I remember." That wasn't exactly the truth but hey, whatever he wanted to think right?

Vaughn rolled his eyes and reached for a card. "Two. Truth or dare Sydney?"

"That question just keeps getting more pathetic with every year," Sydney murmured sarcastically. "Umm… truth."

"Chicken," Nadia murmured causing Weiss to laugh.

"If you could choose one animal, any animal to keep as a pet, which one would you chose?" Vaughn asked.

"That's an odd question," Sydney commented. "Uh… I'd say an elephant."

"Why?"

"Next truth or dare question," She answered shrugging, turning over a card herself. "Five. Truth or dare Nadia?

"Dare."

"Adventurous," Sydney teased. "I dare you to… say something disturbing in French to Weiss."

"What?" Weiss asked. "I don't speak French. Well, not very well."

"My point," Sydney answered.

"Ummm…." Nadia thought for a moment before saying, "Vous m'allumez."

Both Sydney and Vaughn burst out laughing. It wasn't very proper French and it was pretty primitive but the general idea of it was pretty funny.

"What'd she say?" Weiss asked confused.

"Couldn't tell you," Vaughn answered.

"Oh come on," Weiss grumbled. "You were born in France. Tell me."

Vaughn shrugged. "Dunno. Ask her."

"I forgot," Nadia said innocently.

"Sydney…" Weiss said hinting.

"Nope," Sydney shook her head. "I don't know either. It's your turn again Nadia."

"I hate you all," Weiss muttered.

"I know," Nadia sighed, picking off a card. "Ace of spades. That means Weiss has to strip, right?"

Vaughn nodded as Weiss grumbled under his breath, loosening and removing his tie.

"That's not fair," Nadia protested.

"Technically, I only have to remove on article of clothing, thank you very much," Weiss answered, tossing the tie onto the table. "Eight, ha!"

Vaughn glared at him. That drink was not looking inviting. Especially after Weiss got a chunk of something in his. He followed Weiss's lead and pinched his nose while taking a drink. "Phew… no chunk."

"Rip off," Weiss muttered.

"Quiet you," Nadia murmured teasingly.

"Eight… sorry Syd," Vaughn remarked giving her an apologetic look as well.

Sydney was too busy staring at the glass to notice the look.

"Drink it," Weiss hissed at her.

"Didn't Nadia tell you shut up?" Sydney hissed back grabbing the glass and taking a drink as quickly as humanly possible. She didn't pause to plug her nose either. Gross. "That's disgusting," She coughed.

"You're telling me, I got a chunk of something," Weiss answered.

Sydney coughed again and grabbed a card. "Nine. Tough luck, Nadia."

"You're telling me," Nadia murmured, taking the glass from Sydney and after giving it a reproachful look, she took a drink of it as well. Though unlike her sister, she remembered to plug her nose before doing so. "Alright, whose idea was this to use this for the shots?"

"Weiss's," Sydney and Vaughn answered simultaneously.

"Thanks for the help guys," Weiss quipped.

"Anytime," Vaughn replied.

"Okay, moving on," Nadia said quickly grabbing a card. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"I don't know. Truth," Weiss answered.

"He said truth!" Sydney mocked.

"Yes, yes, now give me the question," Weiss grumbled.

"Vaughn, I'm going to take yours. What kind of animal would you want as a pet?" Nadia asked after a pause.

"A llama," Weiss responded immediately causing three different eyebrows to arch.

"I don't think I want to know," Nadia said slowly.

"Good thinking," Weiss agreed as he reached for his deck. "Eight. Your luck with me just sucks."

Vaughn gave him another glare as he took the glass from Nadia. After he grimaced, drank, and swallowed, he grabbed a card, eager to get his turn over with. "Five. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Sydney answered. She wasn't feeling so adventurous today.

"Why would you want an elephant?"

Sydney laughed softly and shrugged. "I don't know. I just would."

"You have to have a reason," He pressed.

She shook her head and smiled lightly. "Nope. Just like them. That's all."

"Can't fight that logic," Weiss put in sarcastically.

Sydney smiled again, rolling her eyes playfully while grabbing her next card. "Another five. So truth or dare Nadia?"

Nadia shrugged slightly before saying, "Truth."

"Question of the day, what animal would you want as a pet?" Sydney answered.

"I used to have this dog, when I lived in the orphanage," Nadia answered. "I don't know what happened to it after I ran away. I'd like to have him back."

"Deep answer," Weiss nodded. "Make the rest of us feel bad."

Nadia laughed and shrugged her indifference. "Three. Truth or dare?" She asked Weiss.

"I'll go with truth since that's the trend these days," Weiss replied.

Nadia laughed again and asked, "Why would you want a llama?"

"Because of the name, duh," Weiss answered. He sounded actually sort of serious there.

"Wait-huh?" Nadia asked.

"Kidding," Weiss said. "I don't know. Sydney's reason. I just like them."

"Can't fight that logic," Sydney repeated.

"Exactly," Weiss agreed grabbing his next card. "Queen. You're in luck, you don't have to drink the chunky goo; you have to give me money again."

"It must be my lucky day," Vaughn answered rolling his eyes grabbing his wallet and handing his best friend ten dollars.

"Why thank you," Weiss mocked. "I think I'll eat out for lunch this week."

"You do that every week," Nadia pointed out.

"Every day in fact," Sydney added.

"For free," Weiss told them. "If you'd let me finish, you would know that."

"I see," Nadia murmured. "Any chance I can get on the free lunch?"

"Only because you're dating me," Weiss answered.

"I feel so privileged."

"Good, that is the plan."

"Alright, I'm going," Vaughn announced, breaking up Weiss and Nadia's conversation. "Three. Truth or dare?"

Sydney laughed at his impatience and rudeness. "Truth."

"Ask her why you two were really late coming back from Russia," Weiss coughed not very discreetly and not in one breath.

"I know why we were late," Vaughn answered. "So why would I ask her?"

"So we know," Weiss explained .

"What if I don't want you to know?" Vaughn asked.

"Tell me," Weiss ordered.

"No," Vaughn answered stubbornly.

"Just ask a question," Sydney suggested.

"Do it," Weiss hissed.

"Fine," Vaughn grumbled. "Sydney… why were we late coming back from Russia?"

"We had dinner," Sydney explained rolling her eyes playfully. "In France."

"I knew it!" Weiss accused.

"Knew what?" Vaughn asked.

"That you two got over your boring phase," Weiss remarked. "Congratulations."

"Shut up," Vaughn ordered.

"Ten," Sydney interrupted, already having turned over another card. "Sorry Nadia."

"It's okay," Nadia assured her, looking apprehensively at the glass. "It's not that bad…" She took a drink and coughed, having forgotten to plug her nose. "I lied. That's disgusting."

Weiss laughed. "Which is why… I'll never drink that actually tasting it," He answered.

"You will," Sydney threatened vaguely.

"Mmmhmm." Weiss answered disbelieving.

"Anyway…" Nadia said interrupting that banter. "Queen. Give me ten of those dollars."

"Yes ma'am." Weiss replied, handing her one of the tens he'd received from Vaughn. "And… it's a four. Darn, truth or dare?"

"I'll go with truth," Vaughn answered.

"I'm going to throw your question back at you, what animal for a pet?"

"A crooked necked giraffe," Vaughn told him almost immediately causing Sydney to smile.

"What the hell?" Weiss asked, completely confused.

"Ask me later," Vaughn answered grabbing a card. "Hmmm… a four. Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Sydney answered still smiling.

"Um… oddest childhood memory?"

Sydney bit her lip as she usually did when thinking. "I've told you this already but my father used to encrypt my crossword puzzles."

Nadia and Weiss's mouths fell open a little before Weiss asked, "Jack used to encrypt crossword puzzles?"

"I think he still does," Sydney shrugged, grabbing her next card. "Ooh, king. That means twenty."

"Damn," Nadia cursed, handing Sydney the ten she's received from Weiss and then another ten from her purse. "That's not fun giving up the money."

"No it's not," Vaughn agreed.

"Ten," Nadia said turning over a card. "That means you have to take a drink."

"Taste it," Sydney hissed hintingly.

"No," Weiss answered defiantly, plugging his nose and taking a drink. He threw her a look before picking off his next card. "And that would a… Jack. Five dollars now."

"How is it that I always give you all my money?" Vaughn muttered rhetorically, giving Weiss a five.

"Because the cards hate you," Weiss replied mocking seriousness.

"I see," Vaughn mumbled. "Six. Sorry Syd."

Sydney grimaced and took her drink of the chunky goo as it was now called, coughing slightly afterwards. "Four," She said quickly grabbing a card. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Nadia answered.

"Once again, I'm taking Vaughn's question. Oddest childhood memory?"

Nadia laughed softly. "When I was nine… I used to live in a box."

"You lived in a box?" Weiss repeated and she nodded in response. "Now that's just sad."

"Well, I was homeless," Nadia defended. "And it was dry."

"Good reasons," Weiss muttered sarcastically.

"I bet you couldn't spend one night outside in a box," Nadia challenged.

"I could," Weiss countered. "I just prefer not to."

"I'm sure," Nadia murmured, turning over her next card. "Two, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to spend the night in a box outside," She dared immediately. "Tonight."

"Tonight?" Weiss repeated.

"Yes, tonight." Nadia confirmed, "In fact. Right now."

"This minute right now?"

"Yes, come on. I think there's a box on the subway platform." Nadia pushed her chair back and stood up, grabbing Weiss's arm and pulling him too. "We'll see you tomorrow." She added to Vaughn and Sydney.

"Have fun in your box," Vaughn called after them rolling his eyes slightly.

Sydney giggled. "You don't think she's actually going to make him stay in a box do you?"

"Most likely," Vaughn answered. "And he'd deserve it."

"You're so nice," Sydney teased. "And I think it's your turn."

"We're still going to play even though your sister and my best friend just abruptly left us?" Vaughn asked, a definite teasing note in his voice.

"That's the plan," Sydney answered. "Unless you have a better plan."

Vaughn shrugged and shook his head. "Nah… I'd rather not think about Nightingale and my father anymore." She nodded slightly in response as he went for another card. "Jack."

She laughed softly and made the move like she was going to rip the ten in half so he added quickly, "Can I get an actual five, not half of a ten?" Another laugh from her and a nod and she reached into her purse for an actual five, handing it to him nicely. "Why thank you. Your turn."

"Thank you for reminding me," She quipped rolling her eyes. "King. Twenty dollars, ha."

He laughed and handed her a twenty. "And there goes all of my money."

"You have more," She answered dismissively.

"Yeah…" He agreed reaching for a card. "Jack. Ha."

She gave him a look, giving him another five. "See you made ten dollars."

"And gave away about forty," He pointed out.

"That's not my fault," She countered, grabbing her next card. "Seven. There, no money."

"Yeah, but the goo," He grumbled, taking his drink grimacing. "That gets more disgusting each time."

She shrugged and waved her hand towards his deck, silently telling him to go. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"No dares today?" He asked. "And that doesn't count as my question."

She smiled slyly and shook her head. "Nope and yes it does."

"No it doesn't."

"Well, it does now," She explained. "Sorry."

"No you're not."

"And?"

"Just saying."

"Good," She replied, turning over her next card. "Six. Shot… again."

"I think you like me having to drink this stuff," He accused lightly after taking yet another drink.

"Not really," She admitted. "Because I have to kiss that mouth of yours."

"I'll brush my teeth," He told her. "As long as you brush yours."

"You can count on that," She answered laughing softly.

"Good." He nodded. "And… ten. Aww… poor you."

She rolled her eyes at this mocking tone. "Don't sound too upset," She shot back after taking her drink.

"I'll do my best."

"Good," She answered. "King. Huh… the cards must want you to be poor."

"Yes, that's it," He agreed sarcastically tossing her a twenty. "What's Sydney getting this time?"

"A pen that has a hidden knife in it," She replied thoughtfully. "So I can stab Sloane with it if he tries anything."

"You could probably get one of those from Marshall for free," Vaughn pointed out.

"I could," Sydney agreed. "But I'd rather say that I bought one for twenty dollars."

This caused Vaughn to laugh. "Strange woman you are," He murmured, turning over a card. "Ace of diamonds."

"You're enjoying this," She muttered, unbuttoning her suit jacket and slipping it off her shoulders.

"Not as much as I could be," He answered causing her to roll her eyes.

"After you brush your teeth," She responded.

"Same for you."

She nodded and picked off a card. "King. I wonder if the cards really do want you to be poor."

"Finally, someone who listens," He joked tossing her the twenty.

She laughed, rolling her eyes playfully at him. "Just go."

"Yes ma'am," He answered turning over a card. "Three. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Have you ever…" He paused, trying to think of a good way to finish the sentence. "… No, scratch that. What do you miss the most?"

"From what?" She asked, slightly confused.

He hesitated, not sure if he should ask her this question but he had wanted to know for a long time now. "From your old apartment, before it burned down. You had a lot of stuff. What do you miss the most?"

She bit her lip and looked down at the table, shifting her weight in the chair. "Umm… I had this picture, of me and my parents when I was like four. Before I found out the truth about my mother, I used to love looking at it. I think it was burned in the fire."

He nodded slowly. "Probably was." He remarked softly.

"I know," She answered. "It's your turn."

He smiled at her suddenly changing the subject and somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered why he always seemed to ask a question that turned everything somber all of the sudden. "Ha!" He murmured, after turning over a card.

"What?" She asked, not having seen the card. His smile grew as he turned the card around for her to see.

Instantly, Sydney smiled as well before she teased, "We are definitely brushing our teeth before we carry out that card."

Vaughn laughed and nodded. "Good idea." He agreed.

_Oh yes, this had definitely been a good idea_.


End file.
